SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2013 SESSION
SB 921 Health insurance reform; revises State's laws.
Introduced by: John C. Watkins | all patrons ... notes | add to my profiles | history
SUMMARY AS PASSED:
Health insurance reform. Revises Virginia's laws pertaining to the regulation of health insurance and related products in order to be consistent with relevant requirements of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that become effective on January 1, 2014. These requirements include addressing premium rate restrictions on health benefit plans providing individual and small group health insurance coverage, prohibiting discrimination based on health status, prohibiting adjustments in the cost of coverage based on genetic information, requiring individual and small group health insurance coverage to include the essential health benefits as required by the PPACA, limiting waiting periods for health plans offering group health insurance coverage to 90 days, providing for participation in clinical trials, and authorizing health carriers to provide for wellness programs. The measure removes provisions relating to the standard and essential health benefits plans because they include coverage for services that may or may not comport with the essential health benefit package, and enforcement of the existing requirement would conflict with the PPACA. Though not specifically required to maintain conformity with federal law, the measure (i) keeps the existing limits for maximum size for a small group at 50 employees until 2016 and (ii) authorizes the State Corporation Commission to establish geographic rating areas. The bill removes the sunsets that were placed in provisions affected by or enacted as a result of the PPACA, including the external review processes. The measure is effective January 1, 2014. This bill is identical to HB 1900.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Health insurance reform. Revises Virginia's laws pertaining to the regulation of health insurance and related products in order to be consistent with relevant requirements of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that become effective on January 1, 2014. These requirements include addressing premium rate restrictions on health benefit plans providing individual and small group health insurance coverage, prohibiting discrimination based on health status, prohibiting adjustments in the cost of coverage based on genetic information, requiring individual and small group health insurance coverage to include the essential health benefits as required by the PPACA, limiting waiting periods for health plans offering group health insurance coverage to 90 days, providing for participation in clinical trials, and authorizing health carriers to provide for wellness programs. The measure removes provisions relating to the standard and essential health benefits plans because they include coverage for services that may or may not comport with the essential health benefit package, and enforcement of the existing requirement would conflict with the PPACA. Though not specifically required to maintain conformity with federal law, the measure (i) keeps the existing limits for maximum size for a small group at 50 employees until 2016 and (ii) authorizes the State Corporation Commission to establish geographic rating areas. The bill removes the sunsets that were placed in provisions affected by or enacted as a result of the PPACA, including the external review processes. The measure is effective January 1, 2014.